Roadside assistance

kevinhnc · 04-07-2004, 02:17 PM

I finally got my Prius last Friday...I absolutely love it...but you know how one thing can make you think you were completely cheated?

Well, it appears that I paid $199 for a 3-year roadside assistance plan by the dealership which frankly they never discussed with me. In my hurry to take ownership I overlooked this on the paperwork.

This would be okay, except that on the website the Prius is supposed to come with complimentary 3-year roadside assistance.

Now I feel cheated by the whole deal. I am about to call the dealership to point all this out, but before I do, am I missing something or misinformed?

Kevin H.
Atlanta

Dealership: Atlanta Toyota

**Danny** · 04-07-2004, 02:33 PM

Nope, call them up and get your cash back. Don't forget to have them refund tax, as well.

kevinhnc · 04-07-2004, 02:36 PM

Great, thanks for the info

Kevin

bookrats · 04-07-2004, 03:55 PM

A question: If you've got an AAA membership, and you need roadside assistance for your Prius, is there any strong reason to use the Toyota roadside assistance instead of your AAA?

I'm thinking of situations similar to needing to have the car towed to the Toyota dealership service dept.

For anyone who's had to call Toyota roadside assistance for your Prius: have the people they've sent out been Prius-knowledgable?

**Danny** · 04-07-2004, 04:13 PM

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that whoever you call, you're going to end up getting the same tow truck

I would be willing to bet that the Toyota program is subcontracted through AAA. Dianne could probably offer more information on that.

Raenstoirm · 04-07-2004, 04:13 PM

The dealership has no legal obligation to give the money back. A refund is very difficult for them to do, so insist on getting a service voucher instead. They are more likly to give it to you. Tell them if they dont....you will fail their CSI. All you have to do is mark one bad on each part of the survey and Toyota will fail it. A failed CSI will really scare them. Dealerships have bribed us before to get a perfect CSI.

terkar · 04-07-2004, 05:15 PM

The 2004 Prius comes with a one year free roadside assistance plan so you should not have paid anything. Hope I never have to use it.

fredr500 · 04-07-2004, 05:39 PM

Bookrats asked about AAA vs Toyota.

AAA will only tow something like 3 miles for free (more if you upgraded your membership) while the Toyota service will tow you to the nearest Toyota dealer.

I'd call Toyota.

Fred

DaveG · 04-07-2004, 10:18 PM

Yup, you definately want your Prius towed to a dealer in the (hopefully rare) event something goes wrong that could cripple the car.

Don't want someone that's not qualified mucking around with the guts of the car. It would be like a doctor from the 1800s trying to do modern brain surgery

Dave

KathyY · 04-07-2004, 10:46 PM

We had to use Toyota Roadside assistance for a flat tire on our '02. I am willing to bet that it was probably the same tow truck that AAA would have sent--he wasn't special. He didn't know how to check the mileage for his report. All he did was put the temporary tire on and comment on the tire's ugly color. They were very nice on the phone and came right away.

04-07-2004, 02:17 PM	#1
kevinhnc Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 9 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Roadside assistance I finally got my Prius last Friday...I absolutely love it...but you know how one thing can make you think you were completely cheated? Well, it appears that I paid $199 for a 3-year roadside assistance plan by the dealership which frankly they never discussed with me. In my hurry to take ownership I overlooked this on the paperwork. This would be okay, except that on the website the Prius is supposed to come with complimentary 3-year roadside assistance. Now I feel cheated by the whole deal. I am about to call the dealership to point all this out, but before I do, am I missing something or misinformed? Kevin H. Atlanta Dealership: Atlanta Toyota

04-07-2004, 02:33 PM	#2
Danny Admin/Founder Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 4,555 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 26 Times in 8 Posts TOTM Awards: 1 Friends: 23	Nope, call them up and get your cash back. Don't forget to have them refund tax, as well. __________________ PriusChat Offers Discounts on: Extended Warranty - $990 : Pre-Paid Maintenance - $875 : HeatShield SunShades : BT Tech Stiffening Plate : All other Prius Accessories

04-07-2004, 04:13 PM	#5
Danny Admin/Founder Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 4,555 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 26 Times in 8 Posts TOTM Awards: 1 Friends: 23	I'm going to go out on a limb and say that whoever you call, you're going to end up getting the same tow truck I would be willing to bet that the Toyota program is subcontracted through AAA. Dianne could probably offer more information on that. __________________ PriusChat Offers Discounts on: Extended Warranty - $990 : Pre-Paid Maintenance - $875 : HeatShield SunShades : BT Tech Stiffening Plate : All other Prius Accessories

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04-07-2004, 02:36 PM	#3
kevinhnc Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 9 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Great, thanks for the info Kevin

04-07-2004, 03:55 PM	#4
bookrats Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,843 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	A question: If you've got an AAA membership, and you need roadside assistance for your Prius, is there any strong reason to use the Toyota roadside assistance instead of your AAA? I'm thinking of situations similar to needing to have the car towed to the Toyota dealership service dept. For anyone who's had to call Toyota roadside assistance for your Prius: have the people they've sent out been Prius-knowledgable?

04-07-2004, 04:13 PM	#6
Raenstoirm Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 179 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The dealership has no legal obligation to give the money back. A refund is very difficult for them to do, so insist on getting a service voucher instead. They are more likly to give it to you. Tell them if they dont....you will fail their CSI. All you have to do is mark one bad on each part of the survey and Toyota will fail it. A failed CSI will really scare them. Dealerships have bribed us before to get a perfect CSI.

04-07-2004, 05:15 PM	#7
terkar Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hendersonville, NC Posts: 100 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The 2004 Prius comes with a one year free roadside assistance plan so you should not have paid anything. Hope I never have to use it.

04-07-2004, 05:39 PM	#8
fredr500 Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 13 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Bookrats asked about AAA vs Toyota. AAA will only tow something like 3 miles for free (more if you upgraded your membership) while the Toyota service will tow you to the nearest Toyota dealer. I'd call Toyota. Fred

04-07-2004, 10:18 PM	#9
DaveG Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 807 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: C Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Yup, you definately want your Prius towed to a dealer in the (hopefully rare) event something goes wrong that could cripple the car. Don't want someone that's not qualified mucking around with the guts of the car. It would be like a doctor from the 1800s trying to do modern brain surgery Dave

04-07-2004, 10:46 PM	#10
KathyY Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 109 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	We had to use Toyota Roadside assistance for a flat tire on our '02. I am willing to bet that it was probably the same tow truck that AAA would have sent--he wasn't special. He didn't know how to check the mileage for his report. All he did was put the temporary tire on and comment on the tire's ugly color. They were very nice on the phone and came right away.